Omaha Athletics

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. -- Les Sigman's major decision at heavyweight boosted No. 3 ranked UNO past No. 8 Augustana, 17-16, Wednesday night at the Elmen Center, setting up a head-to-head dual for the North Central Conference title at North Dakota State on Friday. The Mavericks won the final two matches in the dual to rally from a 16-10 deficit.
Sigman scored a 16-5 decision, worth four team points, over Ray O'Connor on the heels of teammate Ben Strandberg's come-from-behind win at 184 pounds. Strandberg used a third-period escape to defeat Tyler Bullerman, 4-3.
The Mavericks improved to 10-2 in overall and 4-0 in NCC duals. NDSU, the No. 1 ranked team in NCAA II, is 13-0 and 4-0. Augustana, meanwhile, fell to 6-6 and 1-3.
The UNO-Augustana dual was littered with close decisions. At 125, UNO's Dustin Tovar scored a double-overtime win over No. 6 ranked Aaron Graumann, 3-2, based on a 28-second riding time advantage to get it started. UNO's No. 7 ranked Mitch Waite followed at 133 with a decision for a 6-0 Maverick lead.
The Vikings came back, getting a 16-15 decision by Andre VanderVelde at 141 over No. 8 ranked Eli Dominguez on a takedown and three-point near fall with 36 seconds remaining in the match. Augie's No. 1 ranked Ryan King then tied the dual with a 7-4 win over Patrick Allibone at 149.
The Mavs' No. 7 ranked Chas DeVetter earned a major decision at 157, but Augustana's Cody Henriksen upset No. 4 ranked J.D. Naig at 165, 7-4, to cut UNO's lead to 10-9.
The Vikings got a key win at 174 when Dusty Wilking got a takedown with 21 seconds left and then hung on to beat Steve Conlin, 9-8. The Vikings' No. 1 ranked Tom Meester gave Augie a 16-10 lead at 184 pounds with a 15-5 major decision over Nate Oviatt, setting up the clutch wins by Strandberg and Sigman.
The results:
125 - Dustin Tovar, UNO, dec. Aaron Graumann, 3-2, 2 ovt.
133 - Mitch Waite, UNO, dec. Chris Trampe, 10-5
141 - Andre VanderVelde, AC, dec. Eli Dominguez, 16-15
149 - Ryan King, AC, dec. Patrick Allibone, 7-4
157 - Chas DeVetter, UNO, major dec. Matt McDougall, 18-6
165 - Cody Henriksen, AC, dec. J.D. Naig, 7-4
174 - Dusty Wilking, AC, dec. Steve Conlin, 9-8
184 - Tom Meester, AC, major dec. Nate Oviatt, 15-5
197 - Ben Strandberg, UNO, dec. Tyler Bullerman, 4-3
Hwt - Les Sigman, UNO, major dec. Ray O'Connor, 16-5